Thoughts, links, inside information and program previews from the host of Chicagoland's premier local-access political talk show.

Saturday, December 25, 2004

Updated on December 25, 2004 at 6:40 pm
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Roskam/Rauschenberger/Topinka/CTA/O'Malley/Wood/Shimkus/Guns/Kirk/Hynes/Stem Cell Research/Patrick Fitzgerald and much, much more.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Rauschenberger and O’Malley [former] allies, working together, they get in and go at it against each other [in the Republican gubernatorial primary] and divide up the vote, and give it to Judy Baar Topinka?

State Senator Peter Roskam: It could happen. Stranger things have happened.
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This coming week’s suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” features State Senator Peter Roskam [See the end of this blog entry for a detailed suburban airing schedule, including a special Holiday airing of “Public Affairs” this coming week, and more about the show with Roskam].

The show with Sen. Roskam will also air throughout the City of Chicago [in the regular “Public Affairs,” City of Chicago time slot] on Monday night, Jan. 3 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV]. This coming Monday night’s Chicago edition of Public Affairs features Cong. Judy Biggert (R- Hinsdale, 13th CD) at 8:30 pm on Ch. 21
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A partial transcript of the Roskam show is included, below.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Cong. Mark Steven Kirk [R- Highland Park, 10th CD], do you think he might do it [run for Governor].

State Senator Peter Roskam: I don’t know. I don’t know him well enough to speculate.

Berkowitz: Giving up a safe seat in the 10th. Probably not, right?

Roskam: There are not many people in this business that want to put it all on Red 22, spin and see what happens.
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Roskam: To meet Steve Rauschenberger is to like the guy. What he has to do is put the money together and demonstrate that he--

Berkowitz: Do you think he can do that?

Roskam: I think he can. I think he has got—

Berkowitz: It is a little easier to raise it, in some respects, on the state level than dealing with the federal [contribution] caps—

Roskam: Oh, tons easier. I mean the federal campaign caps—

Berkowitz: $2000 is the individual [federal] cap now, per cycle. Is that right?

Roskam: Right, that is what he was limited to. So, that is what limited him greatly in the U. S. Senate run.

Berkowitz: So, at this point, you are supporting Steve Rauschenberger for Governor?

Roskam: Well, if he runs.

Berkowitz: You will support him?

Roskam: That would be my inclination.

Berkowitz: You supported him before for U. S. Senator.

Roskam: Yeah, he is a bright guy…he has unbelievable support in the [state] Senate and in the [state] House, a real kind of cross-over guy…conservatives trust him, moderates are very comfortable with him…he is a very compelling guy.
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Berkowitz: Judy Baar Topinka [will she run for Governor]?

Roskam: She will have the decision of a lifetime, basically. Up or out.

Berkowitz: What do you think she will do?

Roskam: I don’t know.

Berkowitz: Come on, give us your best guess.

Roskam: My best guess is that she runs, she goes forward and hopes for conservatives splitting up a vote.

Berkowitz: Will they oblige her?

Roskam: They just might.

Berkowitz: How many conservatives does she need in there to split the conservative vote?

Roskam: Well, I would say two credible candidates, at least. I mean she has got to do something more than what what—

Berkowitz: Corinne Wood had?

Roskam: Corinne Wood did…Judy’s a very different campaigner than Corinne was. I think she comes at it from a much stronger point- than Corinne did, frankly.

Berkowitz: You think?

Roskam: um, um.

Berkowitz: Okay, so you think she [Topinka] is a better campaigner [than Corinne Wood]- is that what you are saying?

Roskam: I mean I have not talked to him [O’Malley], but you are asking me to—

Berkowitz: Rauschenberger and O’Malley [former] allies, working together, they get in and go at it against each other and divide up the vote, and give it to Judy Baar Topinka?

Roskam: It could happen. Stranger things have happened.

Berkowitz: But, you think more than two conservatives are necessary for that to happen?

Roskam: No, I think two conservatives together could completely, ah—

Berkowitz: Destroy things?

Roskam: Yeah. From my point of view, to make it real—

Berkowitz: For you, destroy. For those people who are pulling for Judy, they could—

Roskam: Right, right, right [laughter].

Berkowitz: It all depends where you sit. Corinne Wood, we mentioned. Do you think she might get in [the Governor’s race]?

Roskam: I haven’t heard that.

Berkowitz: That would split up the moderate vote. That would give a headache to Judy Baar Topinka, right?

Roskam: Yeah, yeah. And, I don’t think there is that big of a moderate vote-
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State Senator Peter Roskam (R- Wheaton, 48th Dist.), recorded on Dec. 12, 2004 and as is airing on the Suburban edition of Public Affairs this week [week of Dec. 27] and on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs on Monday night, Jan. 3 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. See the end of this blog entry, below, for a detailed suburban airing schedule.
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State Senator Peter Roskam (R- Wheaton, 48th Dist.) debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz the state senate’s vote and Dan Hynes’ proposed legislation on embryonic stem cell research, additional state funding for the CTA, homeowners using guns against home invaders, potential Republican statewide candidates in 2006, the vote on January 15 for State GOP chairman and the November and upcoming January 10-11, 2005 state legislature veto session.
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The suburban edition of "Public Affairs," is regularly broadcast every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka. Due to Holiday scheduling, during the Week of Dec. 27, Public Affairs will not air on Friday, but instead will have a special airing in the above referenced 10 suburbs on Tuesday, Dec. 28 at 7:30 pm.